The calm exterior,
What a betrayal
To the Inner Truth,
Where discontent burns as fire
The twisting turns,
And clever rationale,
A plethora of words called logic
All but collide into futility
Boiling fumes of energy
Beneath this sheath - the body,
Yearn for calmness
Called the Peace of God
Not infrequently, the Seeker
that I call Myself,
Wake up in a maze of darkness
Longing for Light to Shine through
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Keep my eyes wet...
I travel to work daily,
My food, I take in -
alert sometimes, a glutton sometimes,
I see the rain lashing on my car windsheld,
The waves splashing playfullyon the shore,
Eckhart and Jaggi pouring
timeless wisdom through my headphones,
The centering chant that reminds me of Shiva,
Even as my body is contorted in Yogic postures,
I hold the hand of my friend,
A fleeting glimpse in timeless Eternity
Keep my eyes wet as I go through Life
Keep my eyes wet as I go through Life
My food, I take in -
alert sometimes, a glutton sometimes,
I see the rain lashing on my car windsheld,
The waves splashing playfullyon the shore,
Eckhart and Jaggi pouring
timeless wisdom through my headphones,
The centering chant that reminds me of Shiva,
Even as my body is contorted in Yogic postures,
I hold the hand of my friend,
A fleeting glimpse in timeless Eternity
Keep my eyes wet as I go through Life
Keep my eyes wet as I go through Life
Friday, November 17, 2006
The Psychology of Seriousness
I have heard many Masters say that the Spiritual path is fundamentally non-serious. In fact, Osho said "Seriousness is a sickness".
What is seriousness and why does it arise?
On the surface, serious people appear to be focussed people. The seriousness comes because they ARE focussed, but the are focussed not on the present moment, but over a goal they would like to achieve. The goal becomes so important that they are closed to all but few possibilities in front of them. When this happens seriousness is inevitable. A playful person is open to all possibilities in front. (S)He views all actions as ultimately purposeless. When I first came across this statement, that Life is fundamentally purposeless, and in a very consistent fashion by several Masters, it threw me into a shock. But looking at all Life, except humans, it is clear that it is true. The waves playing on the shore or the squirrel on the tree or the lashing rain - all are playful because they are purposeless. Once purpose is lost, the only focus becomes the present moment, not a future moment.
The day one becomes naturally playful about seriousness, that day becomes the beginning of an eternal blessing.
What is seriousness and why does it arise?
On the surface, serious people appear to be focussed people. The seriousness comes because they ARE focussed, but the are focussed not on the present moment, but over a goal they would like to achieve. The goal becomes so important that they are closed to all but few possibilities in front of them. When this happens seriousness is inevitable. A playful person is open to all possibilities in front. (S)He views all actions as ultimately purposeless. When I first came across this statement, that Life is fundamentally purposeless, and in a very consistent fashion by several Masters, it threw me into a shock. But looking at all Life, except humans, it is clear that it is true. The waves playing on the shore or the squirrel on the tree or the lashing rain - all are playful because they are purposeless. Once purpose is lost, the only focus becomes the present moment, not a future moment.
The day one becomes naturally playful about seriousness, that day becomes the beginning of an eternal blessing.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Unusual Centering
Arun took his seat next to the old man in the bus. The afternoon was sweltering. Usually a chatterbox by nature, the heat placed Arun in complain mode.
"Isn't it hot for you? Gosh it's unbearable."
"Yes, it is pretty warm in here. Must be the global warming" - the old man smiled, but didn't sound too flustered.
Arun cast a surprising glance at the old man. He perhaps didn't expect him to talk about global warming. He looked at his watch, it was a little over 1:10PM.
"The bus was supposed to start by 1PM. We are always late."
Vendors were already doing their rounds inside the bus.
"Too much noise in here. I must have booked an A/C bus" Arun added sadly, "I didn't get train tickets as I was too late in booking."
He looked at the old man in anticipation of some empathy. The old man just smiled.
"I don't see the driver anywhere in sight. Hope they start the bus soon."
At this, the old man turned towards Arun slightly and asked "What's on your forehead?"
Arun dusted his forehead and asked "What was that?"
The old man tapped his forehead slightly and said "It's gone now"
"What?"
"Just a small spider, it's gone now."
Now Arun had rested comfortably on his seat and had closed his eyes.
"The heat is just beginning to get to me" the old man attempted to initiate a conversation with Arun now. His smile however, never left him.
"Yeaah, it's hot, but ok" - Arun responded without opening his eyes.
"Your shirt is soaked"
"Hmmm, but what can you do? May be we should start planting more trees or something."
The old man smiled widely eyeing Arun.
"I have an assignment at 7PM. I hope the bus gets there in time" the old man feigned a worried tone.
"You cannot control what is not in your hands. You might as well rest and take care of it when you reach", Arun sounded far wiser than his usual nature.
"Some changes don't last long. To make them permanent needs some effort on your part"
At this Arun opened his eyes. The old man seemed to have coursed off on a tangent. "I don't understand..."
"Never mind. You will some day"
Arun looked at the wierd old man whose age was getting to him.
The old man smiled again and rested peacefully in his seat. He closed his eyes and started watching his breath.
"Isn't it hot for you? Gosh it's unbearable."
"Yes, it is pretty warm in here. Must be the global warming" - the old man smiled, but didn't sound too flustered.
Arun cast a surprising glance at the old man. He perhaps didn't expect him to talk about global warming. He looked at his watch, it was a little over 1:10PM.
"The bus was supposed to start by 1PM. We are always late."
Vendors were already doing their rounds inside the bus.
"Too much noise in here. I must have booked an A/C bus" Arun added sadly, "I didn't get train tickets as I was too late in booking."
He looked at the old man in anticipation of some empathy. The old man just smiled.
"I don't see the driver anywhere in sight. Hope they start the bus soon."
At this, the old man turned towards Arun slightly and asked "What's on your forehead?"
Arun dusted his forehead and asked "What was that?"
The old man tapped his forehead slightly and said "It's gone now"
"What?"
"Just a small spider, it's gone now."
Now Arun had rested comfortably on his seat and had closed his eyes.
"The heat is just beginning to get to me" the old man attempted to initiate a conversation with Arun now. His smile however, never left him.
"Yeaah, it's hot, but ok" - Arun responded without opening his eyes.
"Your shirt is soaked"
"Hmmm, but what can you do? May be we should start planting more trees or something."
The old man smiled widely eyeing Arun.
"I have an assignment at 7PM. I hope the bus gets there in time" the old man feigned a worried tone.
"You cannot control what is not in your hands. You might as well rest and take care of it when you reach", Arun sounded far wiser than his usual nature.
"Some changes don't last long. To make them permanent needs some effort on your part"
At this Arun opened his eyes. The old man seemed to have coursed off on a tangent. "I don't understand..."
"Never mind. You will some day"
Arun looked at the wierd old man whose age was getting to him.
The old man smiled again and rested peacefully in his seat. He closed his eyes and started watching his breath.
Friday, November 03, 2006
The True Warrior
The warrior knelt in front of his enemy, dropping his sword in front of him and said "You can cut off my head if you wish."
More than a little surprised at this scene, the other warrior quipped - "Fear got the better of you huh?"
"I chose the path to become a warrior. I picked up death the day I picked up my sword. I choose my enemy to surrender my Life to. Keep in mind I can still choose to fight, consequence inconsequential."
The other warrier realized the warrior had a point. He can choose to fight even though he may lose. All warriors know that death may be imminent in a battlefield.
"Are you hoping that I will spare you because you chose to surrender?"
The warrior pondered for a moment. "Partly yes."
"Then there is no point surrendering to me. You might as well pickup your sword and fight."
Jolted cold by this realization, fear gripped the warrior at what he was about to do. He repeated his very first statement but with a different conviction - "You can cut off my head if you wish"
The other warrior felt courage strike him like a thunderbolt from the warrior. Holding a blood soaked sword in his hand, he suddenly felt powerless at the realization that it was not possible to kill someone who welcomed Death into his arms.
The sword dropped from his hand.
"You are free to walk away", he said with a touch of sadness, for he could feel the warrior at a space he was not ready yet to travel. "Surrendering the very source of your existence, you are suddenly immortal."
More than a little surprised at this scene, the other warrior quipped - "Fear got the better of you huh?"
"I chose the path to become a warrior. I picked up death the day I picked up my sword. I choose my enemy to surrender my Life to. Keep in mind I can still choose to fight, consequence inconsequential."
The other warrier realized the warrior had a point. He can choose to fight even though he may lose. All warriors know that death may be imminent in a battlefield.
"Are you hoping that I will spare you because you chose to surrender?"
The warrior pondered for a moment. "Partly yes."
"Then there is no point surrendering to me. You might as well pickup your sword and fight."
Jolted cold by this realization, fear gripped the warrior at what he was about to do. He repeated his very first statement but with a different conviction - "You can cut off my head if you wish"
The other warrior felt courage strike him like a thunderbolt from the warrior. Holding a blood soaked sword in his hand, he suddenly felt powerless at the realization that it was not possible to kill someone who welcomed Death into his arms.
The sword dropped from his hand.
"You are free to walk away", he said with a touch of sadness, for he could feel the warrior at a space he was not ready yet to travel. "Surrendering the very source of your existence, you are suddenly immortal."
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